Oct 27, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; FOX commentator Tom Brady stands on the sideline before a game between the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Tom Brady will not be punished by the NFL after criticizing referees on Sunday during Fox’s broadcast of a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions.
Brady, a Fox Sports analyst, made the controversial comments when Detroit safety Brian Branch was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay wide receiver Bo Melton in the second quarter.
“I don’t like that (ejection) decision at all,” Brady said. “Obviously it’s a foul, but for me, in a game like this there has to be a serious intention.”
Brady, as co-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, can’t make certain comments during broadcasts, and criticism of referees is among the things he can’t delve into.
However, the NFL announced Monday that there will be no consequences for Brady due to the mild nature of his criticism.
“The concern would be if Tom was extremely critical of referees or called into question the integrity of a referee or the team,” NFL chief spokesman Brian McCarthy told Sports Business Journal. “That didn’t happen in this case.”
Brady bought 5 percent of the Raiders in October, but some owners feared his work as an analyst could create conflicts of interest. For this reason, the NFL determined in August that the legendary quarterback could not criticize referees or other teams in the league.
–Field level media
